His weather-wise pilot, Palinurus, suggests that, since "the west is darkening into wrath," they run into the Drepanum harbor, which they enter just one year after Anchises' death.

There they show due respect to the dead by a sacrifice, of which a serpent takes his tithe, and proceed to celebrate funeral games.

We now have a detailed account of the winning of prizes for the naval, foot, horse and chariot races, and the boxing and archery matches.
While all the men are thus congenially occupied, the Trojan women, instigated by Juno in disguise, set fire to the ships, so they need no longer wander over seas they have learned to loathe.

One of the warriors, seeing the smoke, raises the alarm, and a moment later his companions dash down to the shore to save their ships.

Seeing his fleet in flames, Aeneas wrings his hands, and prays with such fervor that a cloudburst drenches his burning vessels.